Closing means for securing closures on containers



Feb. 23, 1954 s. D. YOUN-G 2,670,118

CLOSING MEANS FOR SECURING CLOSURES ON CONTAINERS Fil'ed June so, 1948Patented Feb. 23, 1954 QLQSINGMEANS FOR SECURING cL s nns N CONTAINERSSamuel. Davison; Young, Rugby, England.

Appli ation June. S ial N 85,99

Claims priority; application GreatBritain July 23, 1947 41Claims. 1

This invention relatesto closing heads for securing caps or closuresfurnished. with a periph eral flange having a continuous oruninterrupted false wire, beaded or otherwise thickened outs wardextending. edge on jars, bottles, tinboxes and like containers furnishedWith a welt, bead or otherwise formed to provide a. recess or re-.entrant portion below the mouth of v the opening thereof, adapted toencircle the flan eof the cap or closure and provided at. a; pluralityof points with elements rojecting inward and formed to effect localdisplacement of the continuous or. uninterrupted edge orextremity 0f theflange of the cap or closure a downward and. radially inward directionleaving intervening. portions of the flange free.

osing heads; of thi construction are cla m d n sp fic t n f: y copendingapplication Serial No. 10,896, filed February 25,. 1948, now Patent No.2,615,608, as. also i he eneral method of effecting the securing orcapsor. (3. 0.: sures as above definedv oniars. bottles, tin boxes andthe like containers.

In a preferred construction. as describedinthe prior specificationreferred to the: elements adapted to effect displacement of the,thickened edge of the peri heral flan e are. relatively rigid fin slocated at intervals. abo ta: crown; and alternating with furtherelements whichprojeot inwards to a less extent than the fingers andareso d n that ra ially n ard= deflection .of the fingers cannot takeplace,

Theobject of the present invention.is;tr;i.pro.-v vide provedconstruction of closing1 head adap d o operateon the con inuousthickened edges of such caps or closures and efiect.local displacementthereof in the manner abovedescribed.

According to the-invention. the fingers adapted to engage the thickenededge are. relatively springy or flexible and are located at intervalsabout acrown with spaces-between them-enabling h ers tov e;displacedina. direction. general y rad allyv inwards with respe t totheicap or closure and for effecting such displa ement of thefingersthere is providedasecondcrown be.-

tween which and the firstementioned. crown axial motion maybe securedand furnished with. means adapted as the result of suohaxialmotion'. todis. Place the e ds of, he: fl xible. springs fingers radial y nward...

For instance the. second c wn may: be urnished adjacent to. itsperiphery with aplurality of. more. rigid finger corresponding. in,number.

axial motion to. displace'the relatively springy or flexible fingers ina radially inward direction. 7

Preferably the relatively flexible fingers are. each. provided adjacentto its free end with a tooth; or claw which is adapted by the. inwarddisplacement of such fingers to engage the thick.- ened edge ofthe caperclosure toefiect displace m ntther of locally- Further, the outer faceof each. finger adja. cent to its free end may extend outward beyond thegeneral level of the outer face of the finger to provide an abutmentsurface with whichthe endsof the more rigid. fingers will co-operate ineffecting the displacement of the relatively springy or flexible fingersin securing their radie ally inward displacement.

The outer face of each such abutment prefer.- ably Drovides an inclinedplane with which an inclined planeon the adjacent more rigid fingerswillcoact.

The springy or relatively flexible fingers. may be formedon a skirt. orflange extending froma crown b for instance, slitting the skirt in. adireetionparallel with its axis at intervals so as. to provide slots. orgene permitting the ends. of such fingers to be displaced radiallyinward.

The second-crown may also be provided with a flange or skirt. adapted toencircle the first.- mentioned crown andhaving in it a plurality ofinclinedholes in which are engaged by mean oi screws or thelike the. mre rigid fingers, he in.- clination of thesefingers being. such that byan appropriate degree of axial motion betweenthe two crowns the endsofthe more, rigid fingers will be brought into engagement with thespringy or flexible fingers and displace them radially inward.

The co-operating surfaces of the more rigid finger and the flexiblefingers may be skin hard ened'andpolished asalso may be'the surfaces ofthe claws or-teeth which are preferably formed to provide abevelled'portion continuing intoa relatively narrowflat portion which-inturn continues into a surface bevelled in the reverse direction from thefirst-mentioned bevelled portion and thus towards the inner surface orthe main portion ofthe finger.

The more rigid fingers are preferably somewhat.

spring-y. so asto be capable of displacementxto avoid unduezstresses:beinaset upinthe container n the p ration oiseouring. the can orclcsureon it.

The head maybe provided with apressure pad Whichis adapted in the; use.of thedevice to be with. the fiexibleffingers and adapted; by suchbrought-against.tnezunperand-.chterfaoeof the 3 cap or closure to holdit in position on the container prior to and during the operation ofsecuring it to the container.

The invention will be described further in detail and by way of examplewith reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation partly in section of a closing head;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view in section showing the co-operation ofcertain parts thereof in securing a cap or closure furnished with aperipheral fiange having a continuous or uninterrupted false wire edgeon to a' jar, this view being on a larger scale;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in plan of a cap or closure secured to ajar by a closing head in accordance with the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that a plurality of fingers I areformed on a skirt or flange 2 extending from a crown 3 by slitting theskirt in a direction parallel with its axis so as to provide slots orgaps 4 between the fingers, each of which is provided adjacent to itsend with a tooth or claw 5 which is adapted, by the inward displacementof the fingers, to engage the thickened edge of the cap or closure toefiect displacement thereof locally as indicated in Figure 2.

The claws, as will be seen, comprise a downward inclined surface 6 andan upward inclined surface I with a short vertical portion 8 betweenthem.

The outer face of each of the fingers is provided with an abutment 9with the outer face it of which co-operates an inclined plane H providedon the adjacent more rigid fingers 12 each of which is secured by setscrews it in an inclined hole I4 in a second crown l5 which is providedwith a skirt is adapted to encircle the crown 3, the inclination of thefingers I21 being such that by an appropriate degree of axial motionbetween the two crowns which, as will be seen, are slidably engaged onewith the other, the ends of the more rigid fingers will be brought intoengagement as shown in Figure 2 with the springy or flexible fingers inorder to displace them radially inwards.

With the crowns there is provided a pressure pad I? rigidly engaged by astem l8 disposed in central apertures in the base of each crown andprovided with a cap i9 between which and the crown I 6 there is provideda hardened washer 29.

This pad is positioned so that it will be brought against the uppersurface of the cap on the neck or mouth of a jar when the two crowns aremoved axially and in this position the upper surface of the teeth orclaws will be immediately adjacent to the thickened rim.

Axial motion between the two crowns between which radial motion isprevented by means of the pin 2! secured to the base of the second crownslidably engaging in the hole 22 in the base of the first-mentionedcrown causes the inclined face H of the more rigid fingers E2 to contactwith the abutments H3 on the relatively springy fingers and cause theirdisplacement from the position shown in dotted line in Figure 2 into theposition shown in full line.

In this way the fingers will form relatively fiattened portions 23 atintervals about the cap, a fragmentary view of which in plan is shown inFigure 3, and force the portions of the bead 24 below the welt 25 formedon the neck 26 of the jar and between the upper surface of the welt andthe adjacent surface of the cap a sealing ring 4 21 formed preferably ofa jointing material of the flow-in type is located.

The inward displacement of certain portions of the thickened edge of thecap may cause, to somedegree, outward movement of the portions 24intervening between those portions formed with fiattened surfaces, butthis is a matter of no importance.

The use of a sealing head in accordance with the invention ensures thatthe stresses to which the jars or the like are subjected, are extremelylow as may be seen from the fact that the head may be used in feedingmetal caps upon thin walled vessels such as may be used as tumblers andhaving a very small bead about their open ends.

In connection with the present invention it is clear that I haveprovided a sealing or closing head for sealing a particular type cap toa closure having a bead or welt thereon in such manner that the capwhich includes a depending peripheral flange having a continuousradially extending edge is deformed at circumferentially spacedportions. fit and at the same time permits ready prying off of the cap.As indicated in my co-pending application Serial No. 10,896, thestructural relationship of the present invention including the inner andouter crown members for respective resilient fingers and more rigidfingers is such that due to the relationship of the fingers [2corresponding in number to the fiexible fingers l with particularreference to the removability of the fingers I2 permits of variation ofthe number of surface deformations effected on the edge of the cap in aclosing operation. Additionally as shown in the drawings the tonguesinclude the lower inwardly and upwardly inclined planar face 1, theintermediate planar face portion 8 of less extent than the firstmentioned portion and the uppermost planar portion 6 extending betweenthe portion 8 and the inner surface of the fingers l which is disposedcentrally of each finger and thus obviously has a width less than thewidth of each finger so that during the inward movement of the flexiblefingers the planar portions of the tongues effect a local flattening asshown at 23 of the head or edge of the flange of the cap. The structuralrelationship of this sealing head as previously indicated is such thatthe stresses subjected to glass containers are extremely low and in theevent that an oversized container is being closed,-

the resilient characteristics of the more rigid fingers [2 permits ayielding relationship so as to prevent undue stress and rupture of thecontainers.

I claim:

1. A closing head for securing closures having a peripheral flange to acontainer provided with a continuous bead at the mouth thereof defininga reentrant portion below the bead and which closure further includes acontinuous edge extending radially outward of the flange, comprising aninner crown member, a plurality of circumferentially spaced dependingresilient fingers extending longitudinally thereof in cantileverfashion, said fingers including upper portions, said upper portionsbeing rigid with respect to said crown, said spacing between the fingersproviding for substantial inward movement of said fingers and thefingers being Operable on the closure to deform the continuous edgethereof at circumferentially spaced portions to provide an effectivejoint between the closure and the container while permitting readyremoval This type sealing relation is a tight actor-re thereof byprying, said fingersincluding an inner face normally parallel with theaxis of the crown and said fingers terminating in "a lower portionhaving an outer surface inclined outwardly and downwardly with're'spectto the axis-of the crown.

and an inner'surfaceincluding an outer terminal planar portion inclinedmwar'dly'a'nd upwardly toward the crown axis, a planar portion of lessextent than the first mentioned portion normally parallel with the axiof thecrown, and a third planar portion extending from said secondportion and inclined inwardly toward and merging with said inner faceofv each finger, 'sai'd'three portions therefore defining tongues oneach finger, said tongues being o erable upon said closure to effectlocal displacement or said edge thereof at circumferentially spacedareas, a second "crown member surrounding said first mentioned crownmember, closely fitting thereabout and sl'id'able relative thereto,aplurality of fingers corresponding in number to the first mentionedfingers carried by said second crown member depending relationship andin radial alignment with the respective first mentioned fingers, saidsecond men- .tioned fingers each including an upper portion secondmentioned finger abuts and forces'inward each of the first mentionedfingers to force circumferentially spaced portions of the continuousedge of the closure radially inward to engage below the rim, the radialinward movement of said tongues further locally deforming said edge, andmeans detachably and rigidly securing the upper portions of said secondmentioned fingers to said outer crown so that the second mentionedfingers are removably attached to the outer crown in cantilever fashionpermitting variation of the number of local deformations effected by thefingers of said inner crown.

2. A closing head for securing closures having a peripheral flange to acontainer provided with a continuous bead at the mouth thereof defininga re-entrant portion below the bead and which closure further includes acontinuous edge extending radially outward of the flange, comprising aninner crown member, a plurality of circumferentially spaced dependingresilient fingers extending longitudinally thereof in cantileverfashion, said fingers including upper portions, said upper portionsbeing rigid with respect to said crown, said spacing between the fingersproviding for substantial inward movement of said fingers and thefingers being operable on the closure to deform the continuous edgethereof at circumferentially spaced portions to provide an effectivejoint between the closure and the container while permitting readyremoval thereof by prying, said fingers including an inner face normallyparallel with the axis of the crown and said fingers terminating in alower portion having an outer surface inclined outwardly and downwardlywith respect to the axis of the crown, and an inner surface including anouter terminal planar portion inclined inwardly and upwardly toward thecrown axis, a planar portion of less extent than the first mentionedportion normally parallel with the as or theorown, and a third planarportion extending from said second portion and inclined inwardly towardand merging with said inner face of-eacli finger, said three portionstherefore dofining tongues on eaohiinger, said tongues being operableupon said closure to effect local displacement of said edge thereof atcircumferentially spaced areas, a second crown member surrounding saidfirst-mentioned crown member, closely fitting'thereabout andslidablerelative thereto, a plurality of fingerscorresponding in numberto the first mentioned fingers carried by said second crown -"member independingrelationship and in radial alignment with-the respective firstmen- 'tioned fingers, said second mentioned fingers each including anupper portion and being more rigid than the first mentioned fingers buthaving at least slight resilient characteristics, said second mentionedfingers being inclinedinwardly toward the first mentioned fingers andincluding a lower edge having an outwardly inclined inner facecooperable with the outer surface of the lower portion of said firstmentioned fingers whereby upon axial movement of said crowns relative toone another each said second mentioned finger abuts and forces inwardeach of the first mentioned fingers to force circumferentially spacedportions of the i'io'ntinuous edge of the-closure radially inward toengage below the rimythe radial inward movement of said tongues'furtherlocally deforming said edgef'means detachably' and rigidly securing theupper portions of said second mentioned fingers to said outer crown sothat the second mentioned 'fingersare removably attached to theouter-crown in cantilever fashion permitting variation or the number oflocal deformations effected by the fingers of said inner crown, eachcrown including a base, each base having a central aperture therein, astem disposed in said apertures, a pressure pad carried at the lower endof said stem in inward spaced relation with respect to the outerterminal ends of said first mentioned fingers and said pad having adiameter less than the diameter between opposite fingers of the firstmentioned fingers, said pad bearing against the upper surface of theclosure when the crowns are moved jointly axially thereby disposing thethird mentioned surface of each tongue immediately adjacent the edge ofsaid closure so that axial motion between the crowns effects cooperativeengagement between the fingers of the sets of fingers to provide localinward displacement of the edge of the closure at circumferential spacedareas to form circumferentially spaced flattened portions on said edges.

3. A closing head as defined in and by claim 2, in which a pin issecured to said first mentioned crown and depends therefrom, said secondmentioned crown having an aperture therein slidably receiving said pinthereby preventing relative radial movement of said crowns during theirrelative axial movement.

4. A closing head for securing closures having a peripheral flange to acontainer provided with a continuous bead at the mouth thereof defininga reentrant portion below the bead and which closure further includes acontinuous edge extending radially outward of the flange, comprising aninner crown member, a plurality of circumferentially spaced dependingresilient fingers extending longitudinally thereof in cantileverfashion, said flngers including upper portions, said upper portionsbeing rigid with respect to said crown, said spacing between the fingersproviding for substantial inward movement of said fingers .7 and thefingers being operable on the closure to deform the continuous edgethereof at circumferentially spaced portions to provide an effectivejoint between the closure and the container while permitting readyremoval thereof by prying, said fingers including an inner face normallyparallel with the axis of the crown and said fingers terminating in alower portion having an outer surface inclined outwardly and downwardlywith respect to the axis of the crown, and an inner surface including anouter terminal planar portion inclined inwardly and upwardly toward thecrown axis, a planar portion of less extent than the first mentionedportion normally parallel with the axis of the crown, and a third planarportion extending from said second portion and inclined inwardly'towardand merging with said inner face of each finger, said three portionstherefore defining tongues on each finger, said tongues being operableupon said closure to efiect local displacement of said edge thereof atcircumferentially spaced areas, a second crown member surrounding saidfirst mentioned crown member, closely fitting thereabout and slidablerelative thereto, a plurality of fingers corresponding in number to thefirst mentioned fingers carried by said second crown member in dependingrelationship and in radial alignment with the repactive first mentionedfingers, said second mentioned fingers each including an upper portionand being more rigid than the first-mentioned fingers but having atleast slight resilient characteristics, said second mentioned fingersbeing inclined inwardly toward the first mentioned fingers and includinga lower edge having an outwardly inclined inner face cooperable with theouter surface of the lower portion of said first mentioned fingers, eachcrown including a base, each base having a central aperture therein, astem disposed in said apertures, a pressure pad carried at the lower endof said stem in inward spaced relation with respect to the outerterminal ends of said first mentioned fingers and said pad having adiameter less than the diameter between opposite fingers of the firstmentioned fingers, said pad bearing against the upper surface of theclosure when the crowns are moved jointly axially thereby disposing thethird mentioned surface or each tongue immediately adjacent the edge ofsaid closure so that axial motion between the crowns effects cooperativeengagement between the fingers of the sets of fingers to provide localinward displacement of the edge of the closure at circumferential spacedareas to form circumferentially spaced flattened portions on said edge,and means detachably and rigidly securing the upper portions of saidsecond mentioned fingers to said outer crown so that the secondmentioned fingers are removably attached to the outer crown incantilever fashion thus permitting variation of the number of localdeformations effected by the fingers of said inner crown.

' SAMUEL DAVISON YOUNG.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

